Photo: Leopold Ziehaus
Renewable natural resources in Austria
Austria has been playing a leading role in the field of biomass utilisation for the purpose of energy generation. As opposed to many other European countries, where large-scale industrial units are promoted, heatings with biomass have a considerable market volume in Austria.
In particular, the emphasis on small and medium-sized plants make possible an orientation of the use of biogenous fuels towards ecological aspects.The share of renewable fuels in the total domestic supply amounts to 33 % and thus rank second after hydroelectric power (40.5 %). 11 % of Austria's energy supply is covered by biogenous fuels. The majority of biogenous fuels is of forestry origin.
According to the energy report of the Federal Government renewable fuels shall constitute on the long run the fundamental elements of the Austrian energy supply in the sense of a development which is based on sustainability. As to rape methyl ester (RME), the Alpine republic has opened up new perspectives by means of the development of suitable engineering facilities and the production of RME quite early.
A possible central cornerstone of a strategy for using renewable resources in the future will be an ecological orientation of the tax system.
27.01.2009,